Plagiarism and Writing a Research

Report

Dr. Krishna K. Warhade

Ph.D (Communication and signal processing)
IIT, Bombay
Dean Research and Development MITWPU
 Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao
◼ Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao FRS, also known
as C.N.R. Rao (born 30 June 1934), is an Indian chemist who
has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry. He
currently serves as the Head of the Scientific Advisory Council
to the Prime Minister of India. Rao has honorary doctorates
from 60 universities from around the world. He has authored
around 1,500 research papers and 45 scientific books. He is
the recipient of most of the major scientific awards, and is
member of all major scientific organisations.
◼ On 16 November 2013, the Government of India announced
his selection for Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in
India, making him the third scientist after C.V. Raman and A.
P. J. Abdul Kalam to receive the award . He, along with the
legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, was conferred the
award on 4 February 2014 by President Pranab Mukherjee in
a special ceremony in the Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati
Bhavan
 Controversies

◼ Rao has been accused of indulging and allowing plagiarism. In December

2011, C. N. R. Rao apologised to Advanced Materials a peer-reviewed journal,
for reproducing text of other scientists in his research paper. His collaborator
and the other senior author of the paper S. B. Krupanidhi accused a co-author
PhD student at IISc for the mistake, "These sentences were part of the
introduction of the paper, which was written by our student, that neither of us
(namely, the senior authors, Rao and Krupanidhi) paid attention to".
◼ The PhD student took the responsibility for the incident and issued an
apology. Later Rao offered to withdraw the article from the journal, but the
editor let the publication stay as it is. Rao claimed to have never indulged in
plagiarism. Later few more instances of plagiarism by Rao and his
collaborators were reported. Rao was criticised by an Indian scientist for
these incidents and passing the responsibility to the junior scientists.
 German defense
minister accused
of plagiarism.
Individual resigned
position - 01
March 2011.

BBC News Europe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wor
ld-europe-12504347 (18
(Accessed 18 February 2011)
 Plagiarism
Doris Kearns Goodwin,
a Pulitzer Prize winning
historian, was forced to
step down from the
Pulitzer board after she
was found to have
accidentally used
another’s words in one
of her books.

Kirpatrick, David D. “Author Goodwin Resigns from Pulitzer

Hostetter, Janet. 6 Apr 2006. Associated Press Board.” New York Times. (1 June 2002.) 5 Aug. 2008.
Images. 5 Aug 2008. <http://apimages.ap.org> <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E7D71
43AF932A35755C0A9649C8B63>.
 Plagiarism: What is it?

◼ The word “plagiarism” comes from the Latin plagiarus

meaning “kidnapper”
◼ Presenting another’s original thoughts or ideas as
your own
◼ Using another’s exact words without proper citation
How to Avoid Plagiarism

◼ Cite the source of any idea or words you take from

anyone else.
◼ Provide a bibliography to show where the borrowed
material originated.
◼ Citing reliable information gives credibility to your work.
◼ Cheating is unethical behavior.
◼ It is only fair to give credit to the source—otherwise, you are
stealing the source’s ideas.
◼ The consequences are severe—plagiarism is not worth the
risk
 Strategies to avoid plagiarism

• Practice good research methods

• Know how to quote
• Know how to cite
• Know when something is common knowledge
• Know how to paraphrase
 Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas

− How are researchers supposed to behave?

− Who says so?
Know your rights & responsibilities.
− Co-authorship
− Ownership of intellectual property
− Conflicts of interest
− Misappropriation of text or ideas.
− Deceptive reporting of research results.
− Breach of confidentiality.
− authors ordered by the amount of their contribution.
Interpretation & Report Writing
◼ Technique of interpretation
◼ Different Steps in writing a report
◼ Layout of the Research Report
◼ Precautions for Writing Research Report
Meaning of Interpretation
◼ Interpretation refers to the task of drawing
inferences from the collected facts after an analytical
and experimental study
◼ Establish continuity in research by linking results to
one another
◼ Establishment of concepts?
◼ Relationship- within collected data-extension of study
beyond collected data
◼ Observation by researchers can be better
understood and proved concept used by other
researchers for further research.
Why interpretation
◼ Usefulness and utility of research findings lie
in proper interpretation
◼ To understand the abstract principle that
works beneath the findings
◼ Establishment of explanatory concepts
◼ To explain the real significance of research
findings.
◼ Interpretation is required for hypothesis
results
Technique of interpretation (practice,
experience, expert guidance)

◼ Reasonable explanation of the relations and

interpret the lines of relationship in terms
of the underlying processes.
◼ Extraneous information must be considered
◼ Consultation with experts
◼ Consider all relevant factors affecting the
problem to avoid false generalization
◼ scientists should not announce discoveries to
the public before they have undergone peer
review
Precautions in interpretation (wrong
interpretation may lead to disaster in research)

◼ Appropriate, trustworthy and adequate data

◼ Analysis of data through proved statistical method
◼ Avoid errors due to wrong interpretation
◼ Tendency to affirm that definite relationship exist on
the basis of confirmation of hypothesis
◼ Researcher must be well equipped with and must
know correct use of statistical methods
◼ Researcher must consider task of interpretation as
special aspect of analysis and must take precautions
concerning the reliability of data, computational
checks, validation and result comparison
Precautions in interpretation (wrong
interpretation may lead to disaster in research)

◼ Researcher must be aware that, she/he is making

sensitive observations and identifying facts which are
earlier not known
◼ Avoid broad generalization, restrict to particular area
and specific conditions
◼ For better interpretation of finding , keep constant
interaction between initial hypothesis, empirical
observation and theoretical conceptions.
◼ Interpretation must be honest and unbiased???
◼ Fabricating some missing data points in order to
complete a study in time for a deadline.
Significance of report writing
◼ Major factor for research study and research
is not completed till the report is written
◼ The most brilliant hypothesis, highly designed
and conducted research study, new findings
are of no value, until they are communicated
effectively.
◼ Research finding must be pass on to next
generation and sharing of knowledge
◼ Utmost care be taken while writing report
(????)
Different steps in writing report
◼ Logical analysis of the subject matter (subject logically:
association of one thing to another, and chronologically :sequence in
time)

◼ Preparation of the final outline

◼ Preparation of the rough draft (write down what she/he
has done)
◼ Rewriting & polishing the rough draft (revision,
consistency, weakness, grammar)

◼ Preparation of the final bibliography (Journals,

conferences, books)
◼ Writing the final draft
Layout of the research report

RESEARCH REPORT CONSISTS OF

THREE PARTS
◼ The Preliminary (Prefatory Pages)

◼ The Text (Main body of the Report)

◼ The Reference Material

PRELIMINARY SECTION
◼ The Title Page
◼ Researcher’s Declaration
◼ Research Supervisor’s Certificate
◼ Preface Including Acknowledgements
◼ Table of Content
◼ List of Figures and Illustrations
◼ List of Abbreviations
THE TEXT OR CONTEXT

◼ Introduction
◼ Main Body of the Report (Divided into
Chapters &Sections)
◼ Conclusion (Summary,
Recommendations/Suggestions)
Main text
◼ Ch1:Introduction (The Problem, Review of
Existing Literature Conceptualization, Focus of
the Study, Objectives of the Study,
Organization of the Study)
◼ Ch2: Non linear sampling of images
◼ Ch3: Color image watermarking
◼ Ch4: Color image printing
◼ Ch5: Results, conclusions and future work
THE REFERENCE MATERIAL

◼ Appendices

◼ Glossary of Terms

◼ Bibliography (Its importance and

formats)
 Types of Report

◼ Technical Reports (when full written report of the

study is required)

◼ Popular Reports ( If the research results have policy

implications)

◼ Article (small report normally used in Magazines and

newspapers)

◼ Monograph ( Normally all research findings published in

terms of book, may not have detail explanation or solved
problems like book))
 Technical Report
◼ Summary of results : Review of main finding
◼ Nature of the study: objective and formulation of the problem, type
of analysis and data required
◼ Methods employed: Methods used in the study and their limitation
◼ Data: data collection, their source, Limitation
◼ Analysis of data and presentation of findings: Tables, Charts,
figures
◼ Conclusions: summary of findings
◼ Bibliography: Various resources, Journals, conferences, books
◼ Technical appendices: Manuals, Theorems, derivations
◼ Index: Generally books
 Popular Report
More emphasis on simplicity and attractiveness, Minimum technical and
Mathematics, Mostly use of charts and diagrams, Attractive layout,
Large print, occasional use of cartoons
◼ Finding and their implication: Finding of practical interest
◼ Recommendations for action: Implementation based on report
◼ Objective of the study: Specific objective of the project under study
◼ Methods employed: Non technical description, review of data
◼ Results: Study presented in clear and nontechnical term
◼ Technical appendices: Methods used like forms
Precautions for writing research
report

◼ Length of the report

◼ Sustain reader’s interest
◼ Abstract terminology and
technical jargon should be avoided
◼ Use of charts, graphs and statistical
tables for quick knowledge
Oral Presentation of research
◼ Merit: Discussion lead to better understanding and
implication of finding
◼ Demerit: Lack of permanent record of research
details and fade away from memory of people
◼ Circulate written report before presentation
◼ Use slides, charts, blackboard
◼ Academics: presentation to internal and external
examiners
◼ Industry: To decision makers
◼ Government: Policy makers and funding approval
committees